Is This Love?
by Apparently Awesome
Summary: Hardison takes Parker out on what both hope is a date.


So I was listening to Is This Love by Thomas Anderson and this came to mind. This thing is like four of five months in the making, and I'm finally pleased with the results. So it's not exactly a song fic, but to get a full feel for the thing you might wanna listen to the song while reading it, you don't have to, but it really helps!

* * *

Parker lied in her bed, staring up at her ceiling in deep thought. She wasn't even trying to think about him, but she couldn't get him of her mind. Somehow he seemed to make himself a permanent fixture in her thoughts; dreams; heck, her life entirely.

She developed feelings, she hated feelings. Somehow he'd managed to get past the wall she'd so carefully constructed around herself and wormed his way into her heart. The wall was designed for such a purpose. She saw every day what happened when people got close and developed feelings, it was nothing but a distraction, and it made you weak. Parker hated being weak, having weaknesses and that's exactly what Hardison was.

He was a weakness. He was the one thing anyone could hold over her head. In a time of crisis who would the opponent use against her? Alec Hardison, that's who. Sure, they could use the entire team, but there was something different about Hardison. She'd always liked different, but not in this case. She hated that Hardison was her weakness, and she hated that she didn't mind that he was her weakness. Heck, she hated that she didn't mind the fact that she didn't mind he was her biggest weakness.

"Stupid Hardison and stupid feelings…"

Hardison opened his eyes to find the ceiling above him. He glanced over at his clock. 5:30am. He looked back at the ceiling. He'd been awake for a while now and he knew it was useless trying to go back to sleep, not when Parker was on his mind.

He wondered if she liked him at least a twelfth as much as he liked her… loved her. He knew he loved Parker the first time he laid eyes on her. She got him on a level that no other woman besides his grandma ever got him on. She actually tried to understand him and he definitely wanted to understand her, he knew there was so much to her, different levels and layers, but he liked a challenge.

She wasn't like most girls, something that drew him to her right away. She was bold, brave, outspoken, socially awkward, and awkwardly funny. She confused and captivated him at the same time. He loved how she never tried to hide her quirks and he loved how challenging she was. It just drew him to her more.

He glanced back at the clock before rising up out of bed.

Hardison walked toward the bar, hoping that he could catch Parker alone. Just his luck she was walking toward the bar from the opposite end of the street. He caught her before she got to the door.

"Parker, hey." he greeted with a smile that made her stomach flutter.

"Hi," she replied, avoiding his eyes and giving him a small smile.

"Um, I was thinking that if you weren't busy, we could hang out?" he suggested, scratching the back of his neck.

Parker smiled, "I'd… like that."

"G-great, there's this thing in the park a couple of blocks away. There's music, food, games… it'll be fun."

He turned Parker around by her shoulders and walked down the street with her. While walking he glanced into the bar and saw Nate, Sophie and Elliot giving him smiles and thumbs up. He stepped to the left beside Parker, letting go of her shoulder and holding her hand. He was glad she didn't object and actually intertwined their fingers.

The walk was pretty silent besides the sound of their footsteps and passerby's. When Parker began swinging their connected hands back and forth a little, he smiled.

"So how did you sleep?" he asked casually.

"Um, well, I guess," she responded, "How bout you? How did you sleep?"

"Good, really good. I had a great dream."

"That's nice," Parker replied, secretly hoping she was in his dreams like he was in hers.

When they go to the park there was immediately a festive vibe. There were children running around with balloons, families playing games, couples walking hand in hand. Parker looked around curiously until something caught her eye.

"Something you wanna do first?" he asked.

"Cotton candy," was Parker's simple reply as she led him to the stand.

It entertained him to watch Parker try to decide what kind of cotton candy she wanted. She was torn between the blue raspberry and the green apple until Hardison grabbed them each.

"I can just buy you both, Mama."

She didn't know why, but she blushed at the nickname. She silently cursed him and her feelings.

After eating cotton candy together, talking, and doing a little light flirting with one another, Hardison decided he wanted to win her a prize. The walked around, hand in hand, looking for a booth that had a prize Parker was interested in.

"See anything you like at this one, Mama?"

Parker pursed her lips, glaring at all the prizes until she found something Her eyes lit up and she began smiling and bouncing up and down as she pointed to the plush ninja sitting on a shelf.

"I want the ninja," she exclaimed excitedly.

Hardison nodded, "Okay. I can get you that."

He let go of her hand and began stretching his arms before stepping up to the boot and giving the guy a dollar and picking up the darts for the game. He turned to Parker as he threw them one by one, all three hitting the target in the center.

"The ninja right," the teenager asked.

Hardison nodded and the guy went to pull it off the shelf. He handed it to Hardison who handed it to Parker. The teen told Hardison he could pick two more prizes but since Parker didn't want anything else, he let the two kids behind him in line get the prizes and wrapped an arm around Parker's waist as they went to find something else to do.

"So what are you naming your ninja?" he asked her.

Parker grinned as she leaned into him, causing Hardison's smile to widen.

"I'm naming him Junpei."

Hardison looked down at her, "Why Junpei?"

"It was the first thing that came to mind," she shrugged.

He was amused at her answer, smiling as they walked through the park together.

"You hungry?" he asked her, "All we've had is cotton candy."

Parker nodded.

"Alright, Mama, how bout two hot dogs?"

"With relish and ketchup? I like relish and ketchup," Parker said.

"Relish and ketchup on yours and ketchup and mustard on mine," Hardison agreed.

They walked up to the hot dog vender and Hardison bought their hot dogs. Parker took the free moment think. She was enjoying spending time with Hardison, more than she normally did. She wondered if this was a date. She always assumed dates were at night, but it was the middle of the day. So was this just them hanging out? And if it was why would he be putting his arm around her waist and holding her hand? That wasn't something friends who were just hanging out did. Or was it? She never had friends until she joined the team.

"Your hot dog, Milady," he said, handing her the hot dog wrapped in foil and some napkins.

She took the hot dog and napkins, "Thanks."

She then looked at the prize Hardison won her, wondering what to do with it while she ate.

"Oh, I got you," Hardison said.

He took Junpei and handed her his hot dog. He turned the toy around until he found a hoop and the attached it to the key ring hanging off the belt loop of her pants.

"There we go."

He took his hot dog back and walked with her to sit at a bench and eat. While eating, Hardison found the silence to be a welcome break. It gave him time to think for a moment. He wondered if maybe this date meant the Parker was as interested in him as he was in her. Heck, he wondered if she even thought of it as a date. He considered asking what it was that they were doing for a brief moment, but decided against it, too afraid of what the answer could possibly be. Instead he finished of his hot dog and looked around for something else to do with Parker while she finished hers.

"I'm done," she announced.

He turned back to her, "Wanna dance?"

"Um, sure?" her response came out as more of a question.

Hardison took her hand and lead her over towards the spot where there were couples dancing as the band played on the gazebo.

He turned around to her, pulling her into his arms and began swaying with her to the music. She rested the hand he wasn't holding around his neck as they danced together to the slow song.

He felt his stomach flutter at how close they were. He moved his hand from her waist to wrap an arm around her instead.

"This is nice," he stated.

She gulped, "Yeah…"

Parker felt her heart skip a beat as he wrapped his arm around her. Suddenly it all felt like to much. She wanted to know exactly what was happening. She knew she had feelings for him, but this was practically overwhelming. She pulled back a little, but not out of his grasp.

"What are we doing?"

He noticed how close they were when she backed away, her lips only centimeters away from his.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… is this a date?" she asked.

Hardison pulled her closer, beginning to dance with her again.

"Only if you want it to be."

She tried to look him in the eyes to read him, though she wasn't very good at it. She sighed.

"And if I do?"

Hardison paused causing Parker to follow suit. Hardison looked into her blue eyes then down at her lips before closing his eyes and kissing her. He dropped her hand and let his go to her back as he felt hers immediately go to his face as the arm around his neck pulled him closer to her.

The pulled away for a moment and stared at one another before slowly leaning in to kiss each other again. Parker pulled away after a while and took a breath.

"What does this mean?"

Hardison grabbed hold of her waist, resting his forehead against hers.

"It means that I'm in love with you," he replied before gracing her lips with another kiss.

"Oh," she responded, "Okay… I can deal with that."

Hardison grinned and gave her a quick kiss.

"You ready to go?" he asked her.

She nodded and let him put an arm around her as the left the park. They were down the street from the bar when Parker spoke.

"Hardison."

"Yeah, Mama?"

She stood on the tip of her toes and planted a kiss on his lips.

"I love you too."

Hardison stood in the same spot with his jaw slightly hanging as he watched his girlfriend walk down the street to the bar. He grinned goofily at the wink she gave him before walking into the bar.

* * *

Okay, so can anyone guess what tomorrow is? Huh, can ya? It's my birthday! I can't believe I'll be 19... idk what I'm gonna do so any suggestions would be welcomed. So far all I'm doing is going to the Dairy Queen at the mall. It's the only Dairy Queen around and it's like an hour drive from my house... including traffic. I really want that mint oreo blizzard.


End file.
